


Dimples

by myxstorie



Series: Spencer Reid, Dating Expert [2]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-08
Updated: 2014-08-08
Packaged: 2018-02-12 08:38:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2102784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myxstorie/pseuds/myxstorie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Dimples are actually a deformity in the facial muscles." Spencer explained.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dimples

**Author's Note:**

  * For [yararanger](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yararanger/gifts).



"Dimples are actually a deformity in the facial muscles." Spencer explained. "They can be explained by the presence of a double or bifid zygomaticus major muscle which originates as a single structure from the zygomatic bone - the cheekbone, if we're speaking simply - which divides into a superior and inferior bundle. The bundles insert themselves above and below the corner of the mouth and as..."

He paused, trailing off with a frown. "You haven't stopped me yet. Usually someone stops me when I start rambling about details. Why haven't you stopped me?"

His companion smiled, tilting her head. Spencer noted the way she subtly, probably unconsciously, turned her body toward him and that her smile reached all the way to her eyes.

"Did you know that a cleft chin also forms as a result of facial peculiarity?" She said. "It's seen as attractive in so many cultures, but all it really means is that the left and right half of an embryo's mandible hasn't fused correctly, or that the two sides of the jaw aren't completely symmetrical, so the cleft forms. It's interesting when you consider facial symmetry to be something we normally find attractive in another person."

For a long moment, despite his 120,000-word-strong vocabulary, Spencer didn't have anything to say. Eventually, when she smiled again, he felt his own mouth twitch in response, felt his cheeks start to dimple, and felt his pulse thud a little faster.

"A person's age can actually be distinguished by the state of their jaw bone," he offered. "In old age the bone becomes greatly reduced in volume when compared to adulthood due to the loss of teeth and consequent resorption of the alveolar processes and interalveolar septa, and at birth the bone is actually joined together, and as the child grows it gradually separates and grows in depth to afford space for teeth to grow."

Spencer couldn't tear his eyes away from her hands as she set her glass down on the table. Her nails were painted a soft shade of pink, something he appreciated - bright red spoke of an overt confidence he found intimidating, but unpolished, a lack of attention to detail. Pink was comfortable; she cared about her appearance, but not enough to use it to manipulate those she came into contact with. Pink was warm and friendly, charming almost, and maybe he was reading too much into the shade of nail polish she picked out that morning but if pressed for an answer, Spencer knew already that he liked her. He liked her a lot.

"S-Spencer!" He blurted quickly, his own name coming out stuttered and awkward. "My name, is Spencer."

Again, she smiled, and again, he felt his heart - 100,000 beats per day, 36.5 million beats per year, 3 billion beats in an average lifetime - start to flutter.

"I don't want to be too forward," she said, and the set of her shoulders told Spencer she genuinely meant that, "But I really don't like bars all that much. I was supposed to be meeting a friend, but it looks like I've been stood up."

"I'm sorry-" Spencer started, but she waved his sympathy off.

"This is better." Another smile, honest and beautiful. "Would you like to go and maybe get some coffee? Or food? Or... Something that isn't vodka?"

Maybe it was a little forward of her to invite someone she knew nothing about out for coffee so late in the evening, but later that night when Spencer walked her home, when she touched his shoulder and he kissed her goodnight under the porch light, he couldn't find it within himself to care at all.


End file.
